Through "spherical panoramas," he snaps a series of 360-degree photos to build a single panoramic image. Then he warps the horizontal image into a spherical shape.

Twenty-one of Henderson's photos -- including some that are uniquely Boulder -- are now on display in the art exhibit at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, 1850 Table Mesa Drive, as part of a community art program.

In one piece of art featuring Pearl Street, for example, he captures the Flatirons, the tulip beds, the front of the Boulder Bookstore, the iconic "Tom's Tavern" logo on a brick wall and several other images. They are all sewn together for a portrait that is part of his "Boulder Planetz" collection. He's used the same technique at the Boulder library and on the University of Colorado campus near the historic Old Main building.

The panoramas and another high dynamic range photography technique that makes his photos look like paintings have become his niche.

"I decided that I'd take a unique look at familiar places and things in Boulder," said Henderson, who has a background in journalism -- including at the Daily Camera in the 1990s -- and has taught digital photo editing at the University of Colorado.

An engineer who bought one of Henderson's pieces built a special mount for it so that he could rotate it, picking up a new focal point with each turn.

Each spring, hundreds of artists from the Rocky Mountain region enter their work for the community art program, and artists are selected by a jury for individual and group exhibits. The exhibit space in the cafeteria within the lab building is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.

Bruce Henderson is director of communications for the University of Colorado's ATLAS Institute and has taught digital photo editing at CU.

Audrey Lewis, community art program coordinator, said the program has been around for five decades.

"It brings art and science together," she said.

The art, Lewis said, can serve as creative inspiration for the scientists who work in the building.

Henderson's artwork is on display through March 30.

Earlier this month, Henderson -- who is also director of communications for CU's ATLAS Institute -- celebrated his 60th birthday at the gallery.

His artwork was on display in Denver at the Office of Economic Development as part of "Our Town, Colorado," a photography exhibit showcasing the state.

Henderson's HDR photographs that look like paintings and are on display at NCAR were taken at an abandoned gold mining town in the Eldorado Canyon area of Nevada, about two hours outside of Las Vegas.

The gritty, rusted-out antique cars paired with old gas station and road signs he took photos of on a stormy day have stark colors. The area looks like time is standing still, Henderson said. Windshields are cracked. Vintage Pepsi-Cola coolers are abandoned. And empty bottles clutter windowsills.

"There's such incredible detail, and I find myself making up stories in my mind for each of the photos," he said.

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